Projects and Change Management

Posted by: PMCompanion | on March 3, 2022

The decision to implement a new technology solution is a significant one and, in many cases, a project that typically an organization is unlikely to undertake often. It is a project that requires a significant investment of money, time, and effort and so, return on investment (ROI) represents an important set of metrics that an organization should keep at the forefront of their minds. In almost all cases, the primary ROI metric is associated with how we get our people to embrace this change.

This subtle nuance is so frequently missed or undervalued, which is understandable as so much focus is applied to the traditional method of running technology projects; the priority is delivery and subsequently, user adoption does not get the attention it requires.

As project and change managers there should be a consideration to everyone’s uniqueness when delivering a project. When reverting back to previous changes experienced in our professional lives, almost always the same combination of positive and negative questions and remarks are made. Such examples include:

“Great! It’s about time we improved that.”
“Not for me. The current solution works just fine.”
“The last project was a nightmare.”
“Wow! This might actually make my life a lot easier.”

It is natural to respond negatively to change.

Embracing change starts at the onset of a project and continues throughout the weeks and months ahead until ‘go-live’ has been reached and beyond.

It is important to start communicating with the user community as soon as possible. This is a vital step- addressing the common complaints raised by users that they were unaware of and/or not consulted about the new product.

Below are some ways to get started on communicating and igniting interest:

Announce during any regular “Town Hall” style company-wide meetings
Send an email to announce and sell the benefits
If appropriate, force-out intranet, screensaver or desktop wallpaper announcements
Print free-standing banners and place in communal areas of the office
If information screens exist in communal areas, display messages of the new project

The key to these activities is to build interest, not provide copious amounts of information. View this as a method of igniting some excitement so focus on the key selling points of the product.

It is now time to build upon the initial interest that has been generated in the project. Once at a point where the majority of organization is aware of the incoming product; this initial interest needs to be developed. Remain mindful that one of the most common complaints following a project’s implementation is that the end-users have not been consulted or felt involved. If someone feels negatively towards an incoming change, it is often because they feel that change has been forced upon them. Here are some recommended activities to undertake at this stage of the process:

Run demonstration Workshops of the product
Establish user groups from each business area and run “interview” sessions to develop an understanding of how they work and how the product will need to be optimized for them
Set up a small number of work spaces for people to use the product
Provide regular project updates – most people don’t want huge amounts of detail; they just want to feel included and updated so share timelines and high-level updates

Training users on the new product is not a new concept but it is vital. The training delivery method is of particular importance and tailoring the training to specific departments is something that is highly recommended. Armed with this knowledge develop tailored training sessions. Training can of course be delivered in many forms:

Face to face, classroom sessions
Training videos/ eLearning
Quick Reference Guides (one-page graphical guides)
Remote, web-based training sessions

To reach this point of the project, a significant level of investment and effort will have been expressed by all parties involved. Users have been trained, informed, and updated, but now they need to use the software. The risk here is that if there is one small gap in a user’s knowledge, then that can spark negativity that spreads throughout their user experience and transfer to their colleagues rapidly.

Change- specifically managing and embracing change, is a perpetual concept. Be sure to give people the opportunity of their experience via a survey for example. The good thing about metrics is that they are typically easy to generate and simple to communicate. Consider options such as:

Usage stats – share how many people are using the product and when
Tangible benefits – where possible, calculate the direct or indirect cost benefits that have been realized vs the cost of the solution
Speak to your user community – remember, most products are to benefit the people so be open to their feedback and share it

Usage stats – share how many people are using the software and when
Tangible benefits – where possible, calculate the direct or indirect cost benefits that have been realized vs the cost of the solution
Speak to your user community – remember, most software solutions are to benefit the users so be open to their feedback and share it

Don’t underestimate the value of change management in any project, as people a normally adverse to change, then taking them along on the journey with you is one way to get the majority on side. Let us know your thoughts regarding change and how to handle it with your projects; we would like to hear from you. All the very best on your project management journey.